LITTLE Callum Lally’s coat still hangs on the hall peg, his shoes are in the cupboard and toy cars are laid across his bed where he last played with them.

It’s like he’s just stepped out to play – but tragically the four-year-old died suddenly in February last year from cardiac arrest.

There are photos of his angelic face with his wide grin, big blue eyes and blonde curls everywhere at home in Netherlee, near Glasgow.

He may no longer be around physically but he’ll always be in his parents’ hearts and all his belongings are there to bring comfort to his devastated family, from his favourite cereal to his drinking cup.

Social worker Catriona, 37, and manager James, 45, are still trying to come to terms with the loss of their beautiful eldest child.

But the couple, who also have twins, Finlay and Freya, 16 months, have decided to help others in the name of their lost son.

Catriona is taking part in the Bupa Great Women’s 10k in Glasgow on May 11, for a fund they’re going to call Callum’s Causes to raise money, as well as awareness, for charities and issues close to their hearts.

Callum was born unexpectedly 10 weeks early on November 9, 2008, weighing just 2lb 9oz. Catriona’s waters had broken and a scan revealed her baby had a heart problem.

When he was born, it was confirmed he had a hole in his heart and, at four months, Callum underwent open heart surgery, ECMO treatment providing oxygen support to his heart and lungs and various operations, including having a pacemaker fitted because he’d developed an irregular heart rhythm.

Callum was born with a hole in his heart and, even though he had to undergo many operations, he still kept a smile on his face

But little Callum battled through the various treatments with a smile on his face and his parents were full of hope for the future.

Five days after he turned four, Catriona gave birth to twins and Callum was delighted he was a big brother.

“He wasn’t jealous at all and called them ‘my twins’. He was so proud to have a baby brother and sister,” said Catriona. “When I’d bring them down to feed them in the morning, he’d ask if he could cuddle them first.”

A week after the twins were born, Callum’s doctors said his pacemaker needed to be temporarily removed because he’d developed an infection.

Catriona said: “Afterwards we were just waiting to hear when he was to have surgery to put the pacemaker back in.

“Callum seemed fine. He was such a character – you’d never know there was anything wrong with him.”

He was without the pacemaker for the next three months while the family carried on as normal. Then, on February 27 last year, Catriona kissed her son goodbye and told him she loved him as he happily went into nursery for the last time.

She said: “I didn’t notice anything different about him. He was happy to be wearing his favourite Lightning McQueen trainers.

“When I’d given them to him he asked me, ‘Why did you buy me these?’ and I said, ‘Because I love you so much’.”

An hour later she received a call from the nursery to say Callum had collapsed.

She rushed down to the nursery – but still hadn’t thought it would be serious.

But when she arrived, she found an ambulance crew trying to revive her son.

In shock, she went with them to hospital and called her husband James en route.

Callum was a proud big brother to his twin siblings Freya and Finlay

At the hospital Catriona and James were told the devastating news that medics hadn’t been able to revive their son and it was thought his irregular heart rhythm had led to a fatal cardiac arrest. It was so unexpected, such a shock that he’d died. When you lose a child it’s like you have lost your old life because nothing will ever be the same again.

“Even now when I wake up in the morning I momentarily think I have my old life back – but then reality slips in and I realise Callum is dead.”

At first she struggled to cope with looking after the twins, who she saw as blocking her ability to dwell on her pain.

Now she’s realised they helped pull her out of the darkness as she had to get up in the morning to care for them rather than wallow in grief. And there are pictures of Callum everywhere at home, together with his belongings.

“Callum is still part of our family. He was four going on 40 – he was special. We’ve kept his room as he left it. It’s not like a shrine – I just find it comforting. It makes me feel like he’s still here.

“Last year we were in shock. But the fog has started to lift.

“We want to do something good in Callum’s name to keep Callum here. It will be his legacy.

“We’re setting up Callum’s Causes to fundraise for charities, such as Brightest Star, the British Heart Foundation and the Yorkhill Children’s Charity.

“And I’d like to do a blog to help other parents know they’re not alone.

“We think about Callum every day. We still feel he’s in our hearts and it will bring comfort to help others.”